10/11/2026
On Friday morning, a juvenile was reported missing from the New Washington area of Clark County. At the request of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Clark County Emergency Management mobilized numerous search and rescue resources in an attempt to locate the missing juvenile.
Search operations began Friday morning and continued throughout the day and night, involving multiple public safety agencies and search and rescue personnel. On Saturday morning, an expanded ground search operation was conducted, bringing together additional personnel and resources from across the region to assist with the ongoing search.
Clark County Emergency Management would like to recognize and thank the following agencies and organizations for their assistance and support throughout this incident:
Clark County 911
Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Charlestown Police Department
Jeffersonville Police Department
Utica Police Department
City of Madison Police Department K9
Clark County Search and Rescue
New Washington Fire Department
Utica Fire & Rescue
Tri-Township Fire & Rescue
Southern Indiana Search & Rescue
Floyd County Emergency Management K9 Team
Greater Clark County Schools Office of School Safety
We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the residents of New Washington and the surrounding communities who answered the call for assistance. Many residents took time to check their properties, garages, outbuildings, vehicles, and security cameras, while others drove area roadways and remained vigilant for the missing juvenile.
During this incident, Clark County Emergency Management utilized its Missing and Endangered Person (MEP) Alert Program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to request public notification when a missing or endangered person may be at risk. This local alerting capability supplements statewide alert systems and provides an important tool for sharing information directly with the community. The response from residents who received the alert demonstrated the value of this capability and the important role our community plays in missing-person searches.
A special thank you to Mustang's - New Washington for generously donating lunch to search personnel during Saturday’s expanded search operation. Their generosity and support for the responders working throughout this incident are greatly appreciated.
We recognize that incidents involving missing children can generate significant concern and questions throughout a community. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident. As the investigation remains ongoing, any additional information will be released by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Missing person searches require significant coordination, trained personnel, specialized resources, and cooperation between public safety agencies and the communities they serve. This response demonstrated the importance of maintaining local search and rescue capabilities and strong regional partnerships that allow agencies to come together when additional assistance is needed.
When a child is missing, the response extends beyond any one agency. We are proud of the personnel who answered the call, grateful for the community members who stepped forward to help, and most importantly, thankful that this search resulted in the juvenile being located.
Thank you to everyone who played a role in bringing this search to a successful conclusion.
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Stock photo attached
